


Graduation Day

by AkumaStrife



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Academy Era, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-03
Updated: 2014-11-03
Packaged: 2018-02-23 23:30:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2559785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkumaStrife/pseuds/AkumaStrife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Come with me.”</p><p>“What?” </p><p>“Come home with me,” Jim repeats, expression a little crazed like when he’s about to do something that’ll break rules, body parts, and a lot of Bones’ patience. “To Iowa. And then after I could go to Georgia with you, protect you from this Jocelyn I keep hearing about.” He takes a breath to say something else, but it gets trapped in his throat as he snaps his mouth shut.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Graduation Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SnackerJack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnackerJack/gifts).



Jim takes a deep breath through his nose, eyes closed in the bright sunshine, and lets it out noisily. “You smell that?”

“Unguided desperation?” Bones drawls into his coffee.

Jim barks a laugh and shakes him by the shoulders before hurrying down the steps into the courtyard, trusting him to follow. “Graduation day, Bones! Freedom and opportunity! We’re going up _there!”_ He points to the sky emphatically.

“You have to make it through the ceremony first,” Bones points out. He smiles though, small and fond, the skin around his eyes tight with exhaustion. Where Jim had final exams and papers, he was scrutinized through all manner of surgeries and procedures. “No one would be surprised if you managed to get expelled before you make it across the stage.”

“You would.”

Bones looks at him thoughtfully. Jim grins cheekily back. “Yeah, probably.”

“Got any plans?” Jim asks suddenly, looking at him in a wild movement that would make a less coordinated person trip. He does that, from time to time. Interrupts one thought with another, cuts one subject off because his mind is already spinning with a dozen more. His eyes shine bright and his expression open, looking at Bones in that way he does sometimes, like he’s worried Bones’ll disappear. 

Bones cocks an eyebrow and nurses his coffee. The real stuff, not that crap he’s going to be stuck drinking up in the boundless black hell. Gotta appreciate it while he still can. 

“After today. Before we get sent up,” Jim adds impatiently. “You going back to Georgia?”

“Yeah. Like to spend time with Joanna before I contract some rare form of space disease that involves hives and tumors and tentacles in unfortunate places I’m sure.”

Jim laughs, his head thrown back, and Bones isn’t sure which one of them looks more in love at that moment. To passers-by they must both look it; they’ve been mistaken for dating before, Jim always laughing and playing into the charade while he grumpily pushes him away.. 

Bones doesn’t know why neither of them have said anything. He thinks he should. Maybe even right now. While Jim is basking in the warm sun and laughing at him. While Jim looks as in love as Bones feels. 

“Come with me.”

“What?” 

“Come home with me,” Jim repeats, expression a little crazed like when he’s about to do something that’ll break rules, body parts, and a lot of Bones’ patience. “To Iowa. And then after I could go to Georgia with you, protect you from this Jocelyn I keep hearing about.” He takes a breath to say something else, but it gets trapped in his throat as he snaps his mouth shut. 

Bones blinks at him, his heart lurching. “To Iowa.” 

“Just you and me and the open countryside.”

“And the corn,” Bones adds dryly, automatically.

“I’ll admit, there’s a lot of corn. Fields of it. A person could get lost in it.” Jim waggles his eyebrows. 

Bones doesn't know what they’re doing anymore; what they’re playing at or what the game even is. He scratches his chin, throwing his empty cup away. “Lost, you say? Lost enough to miss a shuttle into space?”

“You wish.”

“Nah, you’re right. I’d never be so lucky.” Bones sighs and unlocks his padd, checking how many credits he has left in the account affectionately, but wisely, referred to as “emergency credits in case Jim gets any dumb ideas.” It’d taken him off guard, but he’s warming to the idea, as he always does when it comes to Jim and his bright blue eyes filled with infectious wonder and hope. And if he’s being honest, it’d be nice not to spend the next three months alone and bickering with Joss.

“Alright,” he says and almost immediately regrets it. 

“C’mon Bones, it’ll be—what?”

“I said, _Alright_. You goin’ def, kid?”

Jim smiles so wide Bones worries he’s gonna jump the gun and take off before they’ve even gotten through the graduation ceremony. 

“Admit it, you’re just coming to keep me from having any fun,” Jim says too quickly with a grin.

Bones regards him balefully. “As your doctor, Pike’ll blame me if his golden child gets maimed in a bar fight before he can give his life in the name of science and idiotic exploration. ‘Sides,” he says, a little unsure, a little rushed, “you should probably meet Jo before we both die in that godless place you like so much. She likes you already, lord knows why, I’ve only said terrible—“ He’s cut off as Jim slams into him hard enough to stop his lungs for a moment, heart hammering at Jim’s arms tight around him. 

It’s not the first time they’ve hugged, not when Jim’s the way he is, but it’s different this time. 

Jim hugs him tighter, face half buried into the scratchy material of his uniform, and says, “I won’t let you die up there. On my honor, Bones,” he says, his nickname coming out like a promise and a plea all at once.

Bones doesn’t know when he started hugging back, but rubs his thumb absently between Jim’s shoulder blades, other hand firm in the dip of his back. Its too easy to tilt his head and rest his jaw against Jim’s temple—just another millimeter and he could press his mouth there, but he doesn’t. “I know, Jim.”

Jim pulls back and smiles sheepishly. “Let’s go. Wouldn’t want to miss our own graduation.”

“Then we’ll go home.”

Jim’s eyes light up. 

 


End file.
